


Bog Boy

by HellsLittleLiar



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Long Lost/Secret Relatives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 21:17:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18819187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HellsLittleLiar/pseuds/HellsLittleLiar
Summary: Snufkin is spending part of his trip south floating on a bog. Somebody finds him there.-----Did you guys hear about that guy who survived in a bog for a month and had moss growing on him when they finally found him? There's never been anything more Snufkin-like.





	Bog Boy

Snufkin stared up at the clear blue sky and felt more at peace with the world than he ever had before. It must have been several days since he'd moved now. His harmonica was tucked safely in his inside pocket and the rest of his belongings were hidden in a nearby cave. 

 

Snufkin lay floating on the surface of a large bog. He had found it a little while ago and wondered what it felt like to live there, so decided to give it a go. It was rather relaxing. 

 

Every so often, someone would walk by and they would always call out to him to check he was alright. Snufkin didn't mind, as it is nice to talk to others now and again. Speaking of other people, somebody was talking to him right now.

 

"Hey! Hey, buddy! You hurt?" A man called from the side of the bog.  
"No I'm okay." Snufkin replied pleasantly. "How are you?"  
"A little worried but otherwise fine, thanks for asking."  
"What are you worried about?"  
"I am worried that I've just found a child floating in a bog. Are you sure you're okay? Can you get out?"  
"I can. You needn't worry about me. I'm perfectly alright here. I'm a pretty good swimmer."  
"Yes I-I can see that."  
"Listen, you still sound worried, so why don't you float in here for a while?" Snufkin finally turned his head to where the man was crouching in the mud. "You'll have to take off your hat so it doesn't float away, but there's a tree branch right by you that I've hung mine on. It should be safe there. Wow, they look pretty similar."

 

The man eyed the bog suspiciously but did remove his hat and place it on the branch. He dipped his feet into the mossy water and pulled a face before slowly leaning back and letting himself float. Snufkin watched as the man's eyes glazed over. "Wow." 

 

"Yes it's very calming, isn't it?"  
"Yeah... How long have you been here?"  
"Oh, I think about a week now."  
"A week!? I thought perhaps a few hours would be enough."  
"Well, I started floating and I haven't felt ready to get out at all just yet. I don't want to leave this bog and I always stay where I want for however long I want until I want to be somewhere else."

 

The man laughed. "I have a similar philosophy. Only, I've never felt the urge to be in a bog."  
"Well now you can say you've tried it."  
"Yes, that's true. Anyway, recently I've found I only want to be around my darling Mymble."  
"Oh, which one?"  
"The Mymble."  
"Ah, she's my friend's mama."  
"I'm not surprised. She certainly has enough children for them to be friends with every person I ever meet."  
"She does. Little My is always complaining about how many siblings she has."

 

"Ah! Your friend is Little My?"  
"Yes, do you know her?"  
"Not personally. She's been staying with an old friend of mine, according to Mymble."  
"You know Moominpappa and Moominmamma?"  
"Ha! Moominpappa now, is it? Yes he was Moomin back when I knew him. We went on adventures together back when we were younger."  
"Oh? What's your name?"  
"It's the Joxter."  
"Sorry, I don't remember him mentioning you."  
"No, he wouldn't. It has been quite a few years since we've seen each other. And what's your name, then?"

 

"I'm Snufkin."

 

The Joxter choked on seemingly nothing. Had he swallowed some bog water? The Joxter tried to sit up but his legs went forward and so he ended up bobbing in the water with his hands clutching the air. He managed to land on the mud at the edge of the bog before he hurt himself.

 

"You-Your name is Snufkin?"  
"Yes?"  
"My son was called Snufkin!"  
"Ah, I don't think it's so uncommon."  
"You don't understand! Snufkin, did you have parents?"  
"What an unusual question. I'm sure I must have at some point but I never knew them. I was found in a basket."  
"Snufkin, I think I'm your dad!"

 

Snufkin at that moment was far too relaxed to bother with big epiphanies or big emotions.  
"I see." Yes, he saw. He saw a cloud that kind of looked like Moomin if he tilted his head sideways. "I have a question about the basket I was found in."  
"Oh, Snufkin, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you before. The Mymble tried to send you to me down the river in a basket but you never made it to where I was. We thought for sure that you'd died! If-If I'd known you were still alive, I would've looked for you!" The Joxter cried.  
"My friends and I wondered why it was a basket and not a box with airholes."  
The Joxter looked confused for a moment before he answered. "Well, a-a box with airholes would have just filled with water when floating down a river, wouldn't it?"  
"Oh, I suppose it would. I'll have to tell the others that's why when I see them again in the spring."

 

"Snufkin, please believe me, we would never have abandoned you on purpose! I-"  
"Yes, I understand. I know you're looking for more of a reaction but I'm a little busy relaxing right now. If you come and tell me again when I'm out of the bog, I'm sure I'll react just as shocked as you would expect me to be."  
"I-I okay. Where shall I find you?"  
"Between spring and autumn, I will be in Moomin Valley visiting my dear friend Moomin."  
"I dearly wish to spend more time with you right now, Snufkin, but it seems you might not care for my company at the moment, so I'll be off to tell Mymble the news!"

 

Snufkin waved off the Joxter as the man shoved his hat back on his head and sludged as quickly as possible through the same mud he arrived in. Snufkin would have to remember to tell his friends about why they used a basket instead of a box. He believed it might have been Snorkmaiden -or maybe Sniff- that asked the question first. 

 

Huh. That cloud kind of looked like his hat. And The Joxter's hat. Perhaps it was a sign that they were fated to meet today.

**Author's Note:**

> Joxter: Finally! I have found my long lost son whom I thought had perished and have been in mourning for, for many years now
> 
> Snufkin: haha same hat


End file.
